125 Gal build questions please help

rjackson82

New member
Hello I am currently thinking about how to build up my 125Gal tank that i got for $100. I will be building my stand and canopy this summer i hope. What i am write in here about is I am hoping to get some ideas from everyone on here.
I plan on buying a 50 or 55 gal tank to turn into a refugium.
Is this to big or not?
I have been looking at the following other equipment:

1) A vortex protein skimmer. It was recommended by the people at the Gulfaqarium's Aquafarm in Fort Watlon Beach, FL. Not sure of the size yet any recommendations. Is this a good skimmer?
2) not sure yet on the lighting was thinking about T5's and maybe one or two MH. Please provide ideas. Only thinking about fish with maybe some low light corals.
3) For my Refugium what lighting should I have?
4) the tank is predrilled with one hole on each back corner in the bottom i belive they are 1.25 or 1.50 inches. the overflows were removed so i need make new ones not sure the best way to do it yet. so please give me your ideas.

I'm sorry I have so many questions but this will be my first big SW tank and i would like to do it right and this site i feel is one of the best places to ask the questions. again thank you for your help.
 
Tank is right around 59 inches by 18 by 24. dont have the tank here to measure right now.
not sure what size sump to use. what do you recommend?
I still have a long away to go on this tank build so im trying to do my reseach before i start buying.
 
Unless you plan on having a dsb in the sump I would go with a shallower sump. It will make it easier to remove skimmer and such for cleaning and not need to make the stand super tall. I have a standard 125 and use a 33 long. Skimmer sounds fine as I see them recomended alot also look at octopus skimmers, I run a sro 2000xp on mine. T5's should be fine unless you are looking for the shimmer, then 150/175 should be fine. A clamp on light with spiral cf should work or reg flourecents. Overflows you can get tinted glass or if you are wanting teeth on them do acrylic.
 
so only go with a 33 long not a 50 or 55 as a sump/fuge?
i take it i am held to only doing the standard overflows being that it is a bottom drilled tank?
 
I had the standard stand and it left about 4-6" to get any equipment in and out, now if the stand is 30-36" tall you could use a 55 gal. Remember to keep in mind what water depth your skimmer needs to be in also. My sro needs to sit in 6-8" of water so it sits on a 4-5" stand, so I need at least 30" in the stand to take the cup off. Yes you are kinda stuck with the dual corner overflow unless you did a coast to coast and ran the pipe through the bottom of the overflow and did a herbie, haven't seen anyone do this yet but could be an option. Otherwise you would need to drill the back and do a central overflow.
 
125stand002-4.jpg


here is my 125 build. i used A 40 breeder for my sump/fuge. if you are looking to buy some t5 lighting i have a reto kit i am looking to sell.
 
Well i plan to build my own stand for this tank and my 110 Gal FW tank that i have sitting in the shed also. Jayinh could i see a close up of your sump if you have one. i will look into the herbie overflow setup that you talked about tinkerman being that i have only looked into the durso so far. I really dont want to drill the tank so i will have to think about how to do it. so much to think about but at least i have time and the help of people on here.
 
Mojo have you used the VERTEX skimmer being that i see in your thread that you buy skimmers alot. i really like alot of the things that you have done to your 125. If you dont mind sharing about how much it cost the first go id love to know. you can send it in a PM if you want.
Someone said the 55 Gal fuge would be to tall in the stand but i am planning to go between 32 - 36 inches tall for the stand. with maybe a 12 or 14 inch canopy. I was told to go with the biggest fuge that i could. if i am runnign a fuge this big do i need a sump too? I was think of doing two big socks then a big fuge to a skimmer then return pump area. or do i have that in the wrong order. not sure if the fuge and the skimmer areas need to be switched.
Thank you everyone for the help and please keep it coming as i know i could use it.
 
For the sump I did sock skimmer in the first then fuge then return. Or you could do fuge on one end skimmer socks on other end and return in the middle. The 33 long and 55 have the same footprint 4'x 12", the 33 is only 12-13" tall. It really depends on how much clearence you have inside the stand.
 
tinkerman thank you for your ideas. i have seen some people doing a four chamber sump with socks in one area then a skimmer area then a large fuge area then a return area, Does anyone know why this is a good idea?
Is it so that you can add more equipment to the fuge tank or what.
Kinda lost on that one.
What kinda light does everyone recommend for the fuge?

I'm sure i will think of more questions when i summit this post but thank you everyone that is provide answers. I will try to post a drawing of the fuge as soon as i can think of the way I am leaning towards.
 
Well MOJO thank you for the review you did on the Vertex skimmer i think i will go that route on that part.
Tinkerman you said to try a coast to coast with the drain pipes running up into the bottom of the overflow. in some ways that sounds like it could work very well. from looking on here is may not take up to much room and it will provide a ton of surface skimming to boot. That could be a great thing. i think i will try to do some more research on this option. anyone have a thought on this?
Also any options on my post above this one would be great.
thank you all for your help again.
 
Well i may of found a great deal on a light for my tank at the local coral shop in town. Just have to go over there sometime this week and look at it being that when i was there they were cleaning and trsting it out. I will get some photos and do some research on after i see it again. so anyone have any ideas for the questions above?

Thanks Rob
 
Following along, just starting up my 120g tank myself. Listen to their advise about the sump and the height. I bought a complete setup that came with a 50g sump for the stand, got everything setup and added water, went to install the reef devil skimmer that came with it and came to find out the 6.5" of space left by the sump is not enough physical space to get the 7" skimmer in the sump after the fact. So now I'm left to scramble to figure out an alternative. Probably have to run an external skimmer or figure out of the sump buddy 40 will be enough for my setup if I can get it to fit.
 
Well i went and looked at the light and it is a Current USA 72 inch PC/MHI only thing that it doesnt have is the moon light LEDs anymore. I plan on building the stand and canopy to hold the light. I will try to draw the stand and canopy and post it as soon as i can figure out how to do it. I may try google sketch or something. thank you everyone for your help. and please keep it coming
 
Depending on your stand size you may be able to use a 40b. This would be optimal for a refugium becuase it is shallower and the light will be able to reach the aglae's easier.

Personally, my stand is 16" wide on my 125 (not sure why.. I didn't build it.) so a 40 will not work for me. I've used various sumps but the best sump so far has been a clear plastic rubber maid I found in the garage. :hammer:
No, this wasn't a water trough/feed bin either. Worked great!

IMO, the bigger the regugium the better. There's no downside to overfiltering. Is the refugium going to be your only filter or will you be using socks/bioballs?



In regards to you lighting question; if you don't plan on keeping high light corals, I would just go with some t5s or power compacts. They provide enough light to grow softies and light up your tank and are much cheaper than halides. A 4x96w or 6x96w power compact would work nicely on your 125 (i've used the 6x96w before with good succes with softies)

Hope this helps! :thumbsup:
 
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